What if we miss our dining time?

[bemis12]

We are sailing the Coral Princess to Alaska next June, and we have the early dining time selected. It looks like one of our excursions will likely make us miss our dining time. So..... two questions:

 

 

1. I assume that it's a matter of courtesy to let our server know that we will not be at our table that night, so they don't delay others unnecessarily.

 

 

 

2. If we REALLY love the menu that night and want the MDR, can we still dine there in the Anytime Dining section?

 

 

Thanks!

[BDRebel]

Your best bet would be to talk to the Maitre d' about using the anytime dining. They will probably be OK with it, but there may be a rule against it.

[reedprincess]

We are sailing the Coral Princess to Alaska next June, and we have the early dining time selected. It looks like one of our excursions will likely make us miss our dining time. So..... two questions:

 

 

1. I assume that it's a matter of courtesy to let our server know that we will not be at our table that night, so they don't delay others unnecessarily.

 

 

 

2. If we REALLY love the menu that night and want the MDR, can we still dine there in the Anytime Dining section?

 

 

Thanks!

1) yes, it's polite to let your wait staff know if you won't be there if you know ahead of time.

 

2) No, you're not supposed to go to Anytime Dining as that's for people who selected that dining choice. You'd essentially be taking their seats.

That said, some maitr'des do allow it. YMMV.

 

The buffet is always an option, many of the MDR items on offer there. International Cafe. Specialty restaurants. Buffet. Room service . Ultimate Balcony Dinner. And so on. You won't go hungry.

 

If you'd rather have more flexible dining plans, switch to Anytime Dining.

[geocruiser]

I don't remember the dinning times on our Alaskan cruise. But I can tell you what has happened on our Caribbean on Regal cruises the past year. We had fixed early seating , like you have. We had one port o call that we left (I believe ) at 10PM. That night the dinning room was open seating. Maybe the same may happen on your cruise too.

[Loritd]

Please don't use the anytime dining. We always chose anytime dining and when in port late half the early diners come to the anytime dining rooms. It really adds to the wait time. As stated in an earlier post try the other dinner venues. Look at like this. How would you feel if you went to dinner and someone else was sitting in seat at your table?

[neverbeenhere]

Other option: Eat in port.

[bemis12]

I'm not concerned about not finding food. I was specifically only questioning the MDR.

 

I'm also happy with my selection of early dining, but won't be trying to convince you that you should do it.

[fishywood]

If you are on the northbound Voyage of the Glaciers itinerary on port days with a late departure time there may not be fixed seating dining but Anytime Dining for everyone. If so you can just show up at your leisure; watch the Patter or ask your waiter the night before. On Island Princess this past May for all three port days (Icy Strait, Juneau, Skagway) this was the case. Curiously this was not done on the Southbound sailing though there was only one port (Skagway) which overlapped with early dinner seating.

[MMJJOli4]

I don't remember the dinning times on our Alaskan cruise. But I can tell you what has happened on our Caribbean on Regal cruises the past year. We had fixed early seating , like you have. We had one port o call that we left (I believe ) at 10PM. That night the dinning room was open seating. Maybe the same may happen on your cruise too.

 

We were in port in Juneau last week (Coral Princess) till 9PM and the dining room had indeed open seating that day.

[bemis12]

We were in port in Juneau last week (Coral Princess) till 9PM and the dining room had indeed open seating that day.

 

Interesting to know. I'd imagine we'll see the same at Skagway, which does not depart until 8:30 p.m. Thank you for that insight.

[ggprincess2004]

Especially in Alaska when there are late departures from ports, all the dining rooms become anytime dining. No worries.

[waltd]

We have always found that ATD is pretty empty if you go late in the evening. No one can complain if you wait till then.

[Micahs Grandad]

Please don't use the anytime dining. We always chose anytime dining and when in port late half the early diners come to the anytime dining rooms. It really adds to the wait time. As stated in an earlier post try the other dinner venues. Look at like this. How would you feel if you went to dinner and someone else was sitting in seat at your table?

 

Sorry but every time we ask the MD for our section if we can go to anytime if we will be back late from an excursion, we are encouraged to do so. As long as that continues we will go to anytime.

[JF - retired RRT]

I'm not concerned about not finding food. I was specifically only questioning the MDR.

 

I'm also happy with my selection of early dining, but won't be trying to convince you that you should do it.

There was a post not too long ago with this issue. The OP said he warned the waiter and the waiter basically told him to "come anyway, we'll take care of you".

[fishywood]

We have always found that ATD is pretty empty if you go late in the evening. No one can complain if you wait till then.

 

Except for the dining room staff. One night on Golden in Alaska I went to the ATD dining room that is open until 9:30 around 8:45. Both the assistant Maitre d' manning the door, and the servers whose tables we were seated at (there was about 4 or 5 others who came in that late as well) were openly pissed off and didn't care at all that we could sense it. To their credit I mentioned this at breakfast the next morning and was told by the man in charge there "I run the other ATD dining room and even though we close at 9 you can come as late as you want and I will take care of you". And he did.

[Pam in CA]

There’s no set policy. It depends on the Maitre d’ which means it’s inconsistent.

 

On cruises with a late departure from a port, I’ve seen the following:

 

— Set dining times as usual

— If you have set dining, that dining room has open seating for just Traditional diners which doesn’t affect Anytime diners

— Open seating for everyone in the two Anytime dining rooms.

— If you were going to be late, told to come anyway to your dining time

 

I’ve seen it all. When I’ve been on tour all day, I usually prefer to just go up to the buffet rather than shower and change to go to the dining room.

 

While it’s not recommended that you go to an Anytime dining room, you will not be turned away. Everything is crazy and off-schedule on late departure nights.

[LarryL]

When on the Star, we ate late ATD and there were always open tables. The cruise lines would not have late departures and excursions without assuring you have an opportunity to eat in a dining room. I would contact the Maître D and you will, surely, be taken care of. The dining rooms are controlled by the staff and not those who post here. Enjoy your cruise.

[Thrak]

If we miss our dining time we eat elsewhere. If we know in advance we won't be at dinner we try to let the wait staff know or at least let other diners know so they can tell the wait staff. Be aware that Coral, while a wonderful ship, is weird in that their early dining time will be 5:15. It doesn't matter what your personalizer says. It may "guarantee" 6:00 PM but that won't be the case once you are on the ship.

[Micahs Grandad]

There’s no set policy. It depends on the Maitre d’ which means it’s inconsistent.

 

On cruises with a late departure from a port, I’ve seen the following:

 

— Set dining times as usual

— If you have set dining, that dining room has open seating for just Traditional diners which doesn’t affect Anytime diners

— Open seating for everyone in the two Anytime dining rooms.

— If you were going to be late, told to come anyway to your dining time

 

I’ve seen it all. When I’ve been on tour all day, I usually prefer to just go up to the buffet rather than shower and change to go to the dining room.

 

While it’s not recommended that you go to an Anytime dining room, you will not be turned away. Everything is crazy and off-schedule on late departure nights.

 

Just off the Royal Princess and two nights we had dinner at ATD.

 

We were not even asked if we were ATD which surprised me. Appears that they do not care.

 

BTW our waiter when we told him we would be back late and would have dinner told us to come anyway. Told him we would not be back for a good hour after dinner time he said not to worry. We did not want to cause him any difficulty so we just went to ATD.

[waltd]

Except for the dining room staff. One night on Golden in Alaska I went to the ATD dining room that is open until 9:30 around 8:45. Both the assistant Maitre d' manning the door, and the servers whose tables we were seated at (there was about 4 or 5 others who came in that late as well) were openly pissed off and didn't care at all that we could sense it. To their credit I mentioned this at breakfast the next morning and was told by the man in charge there "I run the other ATD dining room and even though we close at 9 you can come as late as you want and I will take care of you". And he did.

You just can't win can you. :)

[keithm]

If we miss our dining time we eat elsewhere. If we know in advance we won't be at dinner we try to let the wait staff know or at least let other diners know so they can tell the wait staff. Be aware that Coral, while a wonderful ship, is weird in that their early dining time will be 5:15. It doesn't matter what your personalizer says. It may "guarantee" 6:00 PM but that won't be the case once you are on the ship.

We always dine at a table for 2. That being said, we will always let our waiter know ahead of time, if we'll not make it. Once & a while we'll check the night's menu early in the day(your waiter/Maître D)can provide it to you. If nothing appeals, we'll skip & go to the buffet or specialty rest. if not full.

[TheRabbit]

We are sailing the Coral Princess to Alaska next June, and we have the early dining time selected. It looks like one of our excursions will likely make us miss our dining time. So..... two questions:

 

1. I assume that it's a matter of courtesy to let our server know that we will not be at our table that night, so they don't delay others unnecessarily.

 

2. If we REALLY love the menu that night and want the MDR, can we still dine there in the Anytime Dining section?

Thanks!

Another option I didn't see mentioned (could have missed it) is to do late seating in the same MDR. Talk to the Maitre d' the first night.

[pris993]

We always dine at a table for 2. That being said, we will always let our waiter know ahead of time, if we'll not make it. Once & a while we'll check the night's menu early in the day(your waiter/Maître D)can provide it to you. If nothing appeals, we'll skip & go to the buffet or specialty rest. if not full.

 

LOL, too bad... go to bed without dinner.

[capriccio]

If we miss our dining time we eat elsewhere. If we know in advance we won't be at dinner we try to let the wait staff know or at least let other diners know so they can tell the wait staff. Be aware that Coral, while a wonderful ship, is weird in that their early dining time will be 5:15. It doesn't matter what your personalizer says. It may "guarantee" 6:00 PM but that won't be the case once you are on the ship.

 

We were on the Ruby Princess round trip Seattle in early July and chose 6:00 pm early traditional dining. When we boarded we were assigned to 5:30 in Botticelli. I did note that at least they told passengers how long the doors would be open if you couldn't get there on the dot. Here is the dining room info from our embarkation day Patter:

 

 

 

• Michaelangelo - deck 5 midship (anytime dining): 4:30 - 8:30 pm
  
• Botticelli - deck 6 aft (traditional): 5:30 (1st seating; door will close at 6 pm); 8 pm (second seating)
  
• DaVinci - deck 6 midship:
  
  • breakfast port days: 7 - 9 am
    
  • breakfast sea days: 7:30 - 9:30 am
    
  • lunch sea days (including Ketchican with 1 pm sailing): noon - 1:30 pm
    
  • afternoon tea: 3 - 4 pm
    
  • traditional dining: 5 pm (doors close at 5:45)
    
  • anytime dining: 7:30 - 9:30 pm
    

   

[casofilia]

There have been lots of threads in the past few years regarding Traditional diners going to Anytime dining. At times they have got very heated. Especially by those who want two-tops.